Mindat Logo

Tienshanite

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.



Formula:
KNa
 
3
Na
 
6
Ca
 
2
Ba
 
6
Mn
 
6
(Ti
4+
 
,Nb)
 
6
B
 
12
Si
 
36
O
 
114
(O,OH,F)
 
11
System:HexagonalColour:Olive-green
Hardness:6 - 6½
Name:Named after its discovery locality, Dara-i-Pioz, Tien Shan Mountains, Tajikistan.
This page provides mineralogical data about Tienshanite.

Classification of Tienshanite

IMA status:Approved 1967
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/E.20-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CL.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
L : [Si6O18]12- branched 6-membered single rings
Dana 8th edition ID:64.4.1.1

64 : CYCLOSILICATES Rings with Other Anions and Insular Silicate Groups
4 : Rings with Other Anions and Insular Silicate Groups: 6-membered rings with [Si2O7] dimers
Hey's CIM Ref.:17.5.32

17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
5 : Borosilicates
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-3958.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Tienshanite

Type Locality:Darai-Pioz (Dara-i-Pioz; Dara-Pioz) Glacier, Alai (Alayskiy) Range, Tien Shan Mts, Region of Republican Subordination, Tajikistan
Year of Discovery:1967

Physical Properties of Tienshanite

Lustre:Vitreous
Colour:Olive-green
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 6½

Crystallography of Tienshanite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:P6/m
Cell Parameters:a = 16.785(2) Å, c = 10.454(1) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.623
Unit Cell Volume:V 2550.7 ų
Z:1

Optical Data of Tienshanite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.666 nε = 1.653
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.013

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate

Chemical Properties of Tienshanite

Formula:
KNa
 
3
Na
 
6
Ca
 
2
Ba
 
6
Mn
 
6
(Ti
4+
 
,Nb)
 
6
B
 
12
Si
 
36
O
 
114
(O,OH,F)
 
11
Essential elements:B, Ba, Ca, K, Mn, Na, O, Si, Ti
All elements listed in formula:B, Ba, Ca, F, H, K, Mn, Na, Nb, O, Si, Ti
Common Impurities:Fe,Ta,Nb,Mg,Ca,K

Relationship of Tienshanite to other Species

Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
17.5.1Manandonite
LiAl
 
4
(BSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
6
17.5.2Reedmergnerite
Na[BSi
 
3
O
 
8
]
17.5.3Searlesite
Na(H
 
2
BSi
 
2
O
 
7
)
17.5.4Olenite
Na(Al
 
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
17.5.5Elbaite
Na(Li
 
1.5
Al
 
1.5
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.6Kalborsite
K
 
6
Al
 
4
BSi
 
6
O
 
20
(OH)
 
4
Cl
17.5.7Boromuscovite
KAl
 
2
(BSi
 
3
O
 
10
)(OH)
 
2
17.5.8Poudretteite
KNa
 
2
B
 
3
Si
 
12
O
 
30
17.5.9Liddicoatite
Ca(Li
 
2
Al)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.10Datolite
Ca(HBSiO
 
5
)
17.5.11Danburite
CaB
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
8
17.5.12Howlite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
SiO
 
9
(OH)
 
5
17.5.13Bakerite
Ca
 
4
(H
 
5
B
 
5
Si
 
3
O
 
20
)
17.5.14Oyelite
Ca
 
10
Si
 
8
B
 
2
O
 
29
· 12.5H
 
2
O
17.5.15Kornerupine
Mg
 
3
Al
 
6
(Si,Al,B)
 
5
O
 
21
(OH)
17.5.16Harkerite
Ca
 
12
Mg
 
4
Al(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
5
· H
 
2
O
17.5.17Serendibite
(Ca,Na)
 
2
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
3
[O
 
2
|(Si,Al,B)
 
6
O
 
18
]
17.5.18Stillwellite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Ca)BSiO
 
5
17.5.19Tadzhikite-(Ce)
(Ca,Ce)
 
4
(Ce,Y)
 
2
(Ti
4+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Al)[B
 
4
Si
 
4
O
 
22
](OH)
 
2
17.5.20Melanocerite-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca)
 
5
(Si,B)
 
3
O
 
12
(OH,F) · nH
 
2
O
17.5.21Okanoganite-(Y)
(Na,Ca)
 
3
(Y,Ce)
 
12
Si
 
6
B
 
2
O
 
27
F
 
14
17.5.22Tritomite-(Ce)
(Ce,La,Y,Th)
 
5
(Si,B)
 
3
(O,OH,F)
 
13
17.5.23Tritomite-(Y)
(Y,Ca,La,Fe)
 
5
(Si,B,Al)
 
3
(O,OH,F)
 
13
17.5.24Cappelenite-(Y)
Ba(Y,Ce)
 
6
Si
 
3
B
 
6
O
 
24
F
 
2
17.5.25Dumortierite
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
7
(SiO
 
4
)
 
3
(BO
 
3
)O
 
3
17.5.26Holtite
Al
 
6
(Al,Ta)(SiO
 
4
,SbO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)
 
3
(BO
 
3
)O
 
3
17.5.27Dravite
Na(Mg
 
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.28 Ferridravite
17.5.29Axinite-(Mg)
Ca
 
2
MgAl
 
2
BSi
 
4
O
 
15
OH
17.5.30Uvite
Ca(Mg
 
3
)MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.31Garrelsite
Ba
 
3
NaSi
 
2
B
 
7
O
 
16
(OH)
 
4
17.5.33Leucosphenite
BaNa
 
4
Ti
 
2
B
 
2
Si
 
10
O
 
30
17.5.34Taramellite
Ba
 
4
(Fe
3+
 
,Ti,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
4
(B
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
27
)O
 
2
Cl
 
x
17.5.35Titantaramellite
Ba
 
4
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
4
(B
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
27
)O
 
2
Cl
 
x
17.5.36Nagashimalite
Ba
 
4
(V,Ti)
 
4
B
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
27
(O,OH)
 
2
Cl
17.5.37Chromdravite
Na(Mg
 
3
)Cr
3+
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.38Wawayandaite
Ca
 
6
Mn
 
2
BBe
 
9
Si
 
6
O
 
23
(OH,Cl)
 
15
17.5.39Werdingite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
Al
 
14
Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
37
17.5.40Axinite-(Mn)
Ca
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
BSi
 
4
O
 
15
(OH)
17.5.41Axinite
17.5.42Tinzenite
(Ca,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
6
Al
 
4
(B
 
2
Si
 
8
O
 
30
)(OH)
 
2
17.5.44Schorl
Na(Fe
2+
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.45Buergerite
Na(Fe
3+
3
)Al
 
6
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
O
 
3
F
17.5.46Feruvite
Ca(Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
MgAl
 
5
(Si
 
6
O
 
18
)(BO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
(OH)
17.5.47Axinite-(Fe)
Ca
 
2
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
BSi
 
4
O
 
15
OH
17.5.48Homilite
Ca
 
2
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)B
 
2
Si
 
2
O
 
10
17.5.49Grandidierite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
3
(SiO
 
4
)(BO
 
3
)O
 
2
17.5.50Hyalotekite
(Ba,Pb,Ca,K)
 
6
(B,Si,Al)
 
2
(Si,Be)
 
10
O
 
28
(F,Cl)
17.5.51Hellandite-(Y)
(Ca,Y)
 
6
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)Si
 
4
B
 
4
O
 
20
(OH)
 
4

Other Names for Tienshanite

Synonyms:
IMA1967-028
Other Languages:
German:Tienshanit
Tjanschanit
Russian:Тяньшанит
Spanish:Tienshanita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Tienshanite

Reference List:

- +
Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR (1967): 177(3): 678.

Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, Earth Science Sections: 177: 137-139.

American Mineralogist (1968): 53: 1426.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1993): 5: 971.

Canadian Mineralogist (1998): 36: 1305-1310.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

Internet Links for Tienshanite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Tienshanite on Google
  • Look for Tienshanite images on Google
  • External Links:
  • Look for Tienshanite on Webmineral
  • Look for Tienshanite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Tienshanite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Tienshanite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Tienshanite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
  • Mineral Dealers:
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Search for Tienshanite from all mineral dealers at minfind.com
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • By minerals from YourMineralCollection
  • webminerals
  • Search for minerals at Heliodor
  • Fine Minerals from Weinrich Minerals, Inc.
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality low prices
  • Search for - Tienshanite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs
  • Localities for Tienshanite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Tajikistan
     
    • Region of Republican Subordination
      • Tien Shan Mts
        • Alai (Alayskiy) Range
    CanMin 42:107-119 (2004)
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Search Google
     
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2011. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
    Current server date and time: 10th Aug 2011 12:06:57
    Mineral and Locality Search
    Mineral:
    and/or Locality:
    Options
    Fade toolbar when not in focusFix toolbar to bottom of page
    Hide Social Media Links
    Slideshow frame delay seconds